Cottage Home on Murphy Lake, Remodel

Karen W in Millington, MI

We have been doing a whole house remodel, including the yard. Just finished getting the new Trex deck. Still have a lot to do, but it's coming along. We plan to add a paver walkway and pavers from the porch to the deck and the patio by the lake. We also want to cover the patio by the lake with pavers to match future walk and add flower beds in front of the deck,
We have a great view and it is so peacefull. Soon the work will be done and we can really enjoy it.
The 2nd, 3rd and last pictures are what the house looked like in 2000 when we bought it. As you can see it needed a LOT of work. Summer 2008

Back Yard Deck Flower Close-ups Medium (1,000 - 5,000 sq ft.) Patio Very Large (10,000 sq ft - Half Acre) Water-Wise

1 of 30: Our house on the lake A work in progress inside and outside

2 of 30: This is what the house looked like when we bought it 8 years ago

3 of 30: before any addition and before any remodel in 2000. What a mess The inside was just as bad. We gutted every room to the studs and moved walls etc.

4 of 30: This was the first update, added doorwall and window. It was just temporary, till we did the add on.

5 of 30: After the addition and before the deck. Just a little cozy 1400 sq. ft home. Just enough for us and our two little Maltese. Murphy & Tucker

6 of 30: porch off the Master Bedroom

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8 of 30: This is where we will be putting pavers with colors to pull the porch and the deck together. Porch has a leakproof decking so we have storage under it. There will be a walkway going to the slab by the lake which will also be covered with the pavers as well as something in front of the deck stairs.

9 of 30: new Trex deck, with benches

10 of 30: We didn,t want to spoil our view by using railing all the way around so we used benches on two sides, which are lower and also very useful

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14 of 30: fountain has lights, so pretty at night

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16 of 30: side view before deck

17 of 30: side view with deck

18 of 30: This fountain looks so nice at night with the lights

19 of 30: Now to add the flower beds

20 of 30: We will be adding flower beds around the deck

21 of 30: view from the greatroom

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23 of 30: a shot of the house from the lake

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25 of 30: Living on the lake

26 of 30: I call this Buddy's garden, in memory of our first Maltese

27 of 30: patio out by the lake We are going to cover it with pavers and add a walkway going to it

28 of 30: our plan is to add a firpit to this area

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30 of 30: A farm with horses to the left of us

Comments / Questions

Thank your visiting my sight. I love your home and the view. Living on the lake must be a lot of fun for you and family. I no what you mean by remodel. Our home was a fixer upper old house. We started out good but things happen and don't go as you plan so the house doesn't get done as much and we don't have the funds to have it done. So I started spending a lot of time outside with my hobby that's become my passion. Gardening keeps me from getting so depressed from not being able to get the insi

I wanted to give you a tip for your gardens. Better Homes and gardens sight has garden plans that you can use, gives size,color,style and so on. You can get your garden beds ready by using a water to lay out pattern,then lay down 6 in. thick newspaper over grass, then cover with mulch. I make my own mulch with leaves I mow over then pick up with a grass catcher on mower then I dump in flowerbed. I also buy my plants 1/2 off at Lowes and others garden centers. I buy at the close of a season and b

Karen I know that when you remodel it can be expensive so my ideas are more on the conservative side. I suggest you spend Winter planning your landscape. Trees, shrubs and hardscape should be the first to go in. Remember to read labels on how high and WIDE things get. Number one mistake is people plant WAY TO CLOSE to the foundations. Allow yourself room to walk around a bush. You need room to paint, cleanup and groom the plant. Remember they need WATER consistently the first year. Third pick a

Bobbie Lynn

It looks beautiful!

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